1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to supports and connector apparatus for printed circuit boards and particularly pertains to a new and improved printed circuit board support and connector rotatably mounted presenting and connecting of said printed circuit board for testing and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of printed circuit board connection apparatus is well known in the prior art. As may be appreciated, these devices have normally required an associated printed circuit board to maintain a pre-determined orientation relative to such apparatus. It is understood therefore that is desirable during the use of such printed circuit boards to test for defects therein while the printed circuit board is in electrical communication with an associated apparatus. Furthermore, the ease of access and replacement of a rotatably mounted printed circuit board is of enhanced use in the application to computers, control devices, communications equipment, and the like.
Electrical connectors of the past have attempted to accommodate the use of various printed circuit board holders various connectors. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,413 to Evans illustrates the use of a cylindrical connector formed with an extension. The device of Evans is presented for use between parallel substrates enabling compression of the connector to maintain alignment of conductors on the circuit. The patent is of interest only in its general configuration but is relatively remote in application and structure to the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,728,662 to Puri sets forth a mechanism for enabling extension and retraction of various circuit boards wherein a plurality of holders enables reciprocating or telescoping association of the circuit board to a card cage. The Puri patent is of interest to a movably mounted printed circuit board support but lacks the flexibility and application of the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,109 to Finch, et al. sets forth a means for providing electrical interconnection between a plurality of circuit boards. The cumbersome structure is relatively remote from the instant invention and is of proximate interest only in that the entire housing may be pivotally mounted but lacks any rotatable interconnection between the various printed circuit boards to a support structure, as does the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,100 to Kekas, et al. sets forth a printed circuit board holder wherein a plurality of circuit boards may be pivoted through a 90 degree arc. The printed circuit boards are completely enclosed within the pivotal housing and fails to provide means for electrically associating a rotatably mounted printed circuit board holder to a companion support and electrically interconnecting the two by means of strip connectors.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,712 to Reimer, et al. sets forth a basic positioning arrangement for accommodating a multiple of circuit boards. The apparatus maintains the circuit boards in a spaced parallel relationship while permitting movement of one board relative to another, unlike the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No 4,421,370 to Treakle, et al. provides for a compressible contact member formed of a plurality of cylindrically compressible portions to maintain electrical association between a plurality of spaced circuit boards.
As such, it may be appreciated that there is a continuing need for a new and improved printed circuit board support and connector apparatus which addresses both the problem of flexibility in application and compactness of structure and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.